Reading Skills

Mental Map
Passages types
Fiction- history- social science- natural science-
Passage level after skimming

 Topic : frequently repeated noun- idea – phrase ( directly –

pronoun- synonym- this- that- such)
 Point/ claim / perspective/ opinion = message
Point = topic + so what?
 Tone / attitude = feeling -----positive- negative- neutral
 Purpose = why not what
 Overall structure / organization ( development of ideas ) / shift
 How the information introduced
-first person( i- me- we- us)
- second person ( you- your)
-third person( he- she- they )

 Types of writing
Narrative – poetic- expository (informative)- descriptive

How to skim effectively

Fiction: read the whole passage (setting- characters – event- relationship)
Rest of passages( history- science- social sciences)
*Read the passage blurb
*Read the introduction
*Read the first + second sentence of each paragraph (topic), + last sentence
for longer paragraphs
*Read the conclusion
 Question types

Big picture questions / passage level ( to be left to the end )

Topic-summary- point- purpose- structure – tone – writing style

Little picture questions / details

Vocabulary ( first / familiar - second meaning / context --------clues)
Inference = function- analogy – evidence – factual qs- purpose

Line reference qs ( In line 15 -20) read before and after

No line reference qs= focus on the key words + key point
Key words can be mentioned directly or paraphrased using synonyms
Great------tremendous
Cost---------price-
Global-------international

Right answer : paraphrased : same idea but different words of the passage

Types of incorrect answers (

Fiction passages
 Read the whole passage( 3_4 minutes)
 Setting ( time- place)
 Characters ( 2-3)
 Narration style ( first- second – third person narrator)
 Events ( 1 situation )
 Relationship among characters ( positive – negative )
 Topic- point- organization)
Answering Summary- main idea – topic qs
Choose the general idea ( no – off topic- details- false )